Town Assessor Clinton Swett provided the Town Council with a report on the 2022 Senior Tax Relief Program at the December 13, 2021 council meeting.  The Property Tax Assistance Ordinance is in it's fourth year after having been adopted by the council in January of 2019.  The program is intended to provide tax relief to qualifying seniors by reimbursing up to $500 of their tax burden, per applicant.  Applicants must apply annually; applications are automatically sent to prior-year participants in mid August.

Swett reported that he received 186 applications; five more then last year and 54 more than the first year.  The applicants averaged 77 years of age and had an average income of $25,4000.  The Cape Elizabeth Fiscal Year 2022 budgeted $95,000 for the program.  Councilor Penny Jordan asked that the council consider increasing the amount distributed or change the qualifying parameters to "Open the window a little more so that more seniors can participate."  Town Manager Matthew Sturgis suggested that the council could discuss this option during the upcoming budget season .

Following the council acknowledging receipt of the Tax Assessor's report, Swett informed the council that field work for the 2022-2023 town-wide revaluation is expected to begin in the spring of 2022. The process was slated to begin in 2020, but was postponed two years in a row due to safety concerns related the COVID-19 pandemic.  Swett assured that when the field work does begin, all of his field people, "Will be boosted and up to the task."

A letter detailing the revaluation process and schedule will be included in the spring tax bills.